Employment Model for Individuals with Disabilities Down Syndrome

Employment Model for Individuals with Disabilities: Down Syndrome Program Patient Liaison & Apprenticeship Angela Lombardo BA, Emily J. Davidson MD, MPH, Nicole Baumer MD, MEd JOB RESPONSIBILITIES HISTORY Examples of duties: v Founded in 1967 v One of the oldest and largest programs v Offers multidisciplinary care for people with Down syndrome from birth to 22 years PATIENT LIAISON v Created in 2009 v Originally part time but evolved into a full time position v Plays an important role in being mentor to Apprentice PATIENT LIAISON APPRENTICESHIP v Two-year training position v Developed to allow ongoing vocational training opportunities v Works closely with the Program Coordinator and Patient Liaison to develop job skills necessary for successful employment in community settings FUNDING v Patient Liaison and Apprentice positions are currently funded through philanthropy v Funding covers three years of pay and job coaching as needed PEER MODELING v Patient Liaison and Apprentice are trained and mentored by the Program Coordinator. v On-the-job coaching and modeling within the Down Syndrome Program v Patient Liaison also provides valuable peer mentoring to the Apprentice. “To walk into the DS clinic and see Nathan contributing in such an important way is inspirational to me as a mother. I am also so happy for him as it seems like a perfect place for him to build confidence and career skills that he can build upon for the future. ” Mother of a patient, age 5 v Greet families coming for appointments v Guide families through multiple appointments v Distribute materials and forms to providers v Coordinate completion of intake paperwork v Share resource materials and information about upcoming events with families v Play with patients and provide support to families during their visits v Assist Program Coordinator with clerical duties v Use hospital platforms for reports and appointments GOALS Our objective is to customize goals to meet the needs of the Patient Liaison and Apprentice. v To develop professionalism in work environment v To enhance interpersonal skills v To feel more comfortable talking to new people v To learn new skills that can raise bar on future work v To gain more experience working with children v To develop self-presentation skills through sharing their stories BENEFITS FOR FAMILIES: v Provides inspiration to families who attend clinic v Creates connections for other young adult patients in our clinic v Special chance for families to hear about services, experiences and life directly from a young adult. FOR PROFESSIONALS: v Increases disability awareness v Demonstrates value of diverse work force v Creates opportunities to teach staff and providers about working with people with different needs v Serves as a model for other clinics and hospitals